SEC Football Players Of The Week: Sept. 1

The Southeastern Conference announces the league's Football Players of the Week for September 1.

SEC Football Players of the Week

OFFENSIVE

Jackson Arnold, QB, Auburn

-Rushed for a career high 137 yards on 16 carries, good for 8.6 yards per carry, and matched a career high with two rushing TDs while going 11-for-17 with 108 yards passing in his Auburn debut.
-Became the first Auburn QB since Cam Newton (2010) to rush and pass for 100+ yards in their Auburn debut.
-Was one of four QBs in the country and the only from the SEC to rush and pass for 100+ yards in week one.
-His 137 rushing yards were the most by a SEC player in week one and the most by an Auburn QB since Nick Marshall rushed for 214 yards at Tennessee in 2013.
Six of his 16 rush attempts were for 10+ yards, including his two TD runs of 24 and 27 yards.
-Led Auburn to its most points (38) in a road non-conference game since defeating Florida State, 42-41, in 1984.


Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

-Connected of 28-of-38 passes for 232 yards and 1 TD in leading LSU to a 17-10 comeback road win over Clemson.
-Was a perfect 9-of-9 for 39 yards and a TD in the fourth quarter.
-It was the fourth time in his career he led the Tigers to a fourth quarter comeback.
-Hit TE Tre'Dez Green with a 8-yard TD pass with 12:18 left in the game to give LSU its first lead of the game, 17-10.
-Completed his final 11 passes in leading LSU to the program's fifth true road win over an --AP Top 5 ranked team and first since beating No. 2 Alabama in 2019.
-As a unit, LSU totaled 25 first downs, 354 total yards and had possession of the ball of 37 minutes in the victory.


DEFENSIVE

Colton Hood, DB, Tennessee

-Hood, making his Tennessee debut at cornerback, finished with four tackles, a fumble recovery touchdown and three pass breakups to help lead the Vols past Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game.
-The Colorado transfer earned the start in place of the injured preseason first-team All-American Jermod McCoy and stepped up in a big way.
-His three pass breakups were the most by an SEC player in Week 1 (pending SC result).
-He also executed the big blow, scooping up a fumble and returning it 22 yards for a touchdown with 0:56 left in the first quarter that put the Vols up 17-0.
-Hood played all 84 defensive snaps for Tennessee in his debut.


Fred Johnson, LB, South Carolina

-Had 10 tackles, one interception and one pass break up as the Gamecocks defeated Virginia Tech in Atlanta.
-The interception was deep in the red zone as Virginia Tech was driving to tie the game.
The South Carolina defense held the Hokies without a touchdown.


SPECIAL TEAMS

Rayshawn Pleasant, DB/KR, Auburn

-Making his Auburn debut, he returned his only kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to increase Auburn’s lead from one score to two with 00:43 left in the third quarter.
-The kickoff return TD was the third of Pleasant’s career, all coming in the last two seasons, and was the fourth TD of his career (one INT return).
-He is the only FBS player with three kickoff return TDs in the last two seasons and is one of three active FBS players with three or more kickoff return TDs in their career.
-It marked Auburn’s first kick return TD since the 2019 season and was the longest kick return TD since Tre Mason’s 100-yard return vs. Washington State in 2013.


Vicari Swain, DB/PR, South Carolina

-Returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the Gamecocks up two scores.
-Swain’s punt return for a touchdown was the first for South Carolina since 2013.


OFFENSIVE LINE

Braelin Moore, C, LSU

-In first LSU start, played all 70 offensive snaps and was the catalyst to an offensive line that limited Clemson to only 1 sack.
-LSU started an entirely new offensive line from the regular-season finale in 2024.
-Tigers rushed for 108 yards and totaled 354 total yards, 25 first downs and held the ball for 37 minutes as the Tigers overcame at 10-3 halftime deficit to win, 17-10.


DEFENSIVE LINE

Zxavian Harris, DT, Ole Miss

-Filled the stat line and led a dominant Ole Miss defense in the 63-7 win over Georgia State.
-Recorded five tackles, 1.5 TFLs, one sack, two QB hurries and the first interception of his career.
-It marked the first Ole Miss defensive lineman to record an interception in the last seven games (Jamarious Brown vs LSU in 2024).
-Led a unit that limited GSU to 260 total yards and just 69 passing yards, the fewest allowed by a Rebel defense through the air since holding ULM to 66 passing yards in 2023.


Will Whitson, DT, Mississippi State

-Finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and 4 tackles in his Mississippi State debut.
-Most tackles for loss on opening weekend by any SEC defensive player (2.5).
-Generated 5 total pressures (tied for most in SEC among defensive linemen).
-Earned a game-high 89.7 defensive grade from PFF.

FRESHMAN

Braylon Staley, WR, Tennessee

-Staley, making his first career start, finished with a game-high 95 receiving yards with four catches and one touchdown to help lead Tennessee past Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game.
-The redshirt freshman tallied a 73-yard touchdown catch and raced 25 yards after the catch.
-He finished with 33 yards after the catch on the day.
-He was the only player in the SEC with a 70-plus yard catch in Week 1 and one of only two in the Power Four (USC, Eli Sanders).

(Release via LSU Athletics)